the book shut. ‘And let’s be clear this time, what about the treasure?’
‘What about the treasure?’ asked Arthur as he tried to gather his thoughts. It hadn’t even occurred to him that they might doubt his identity. But it was clear that both Concort and Catapillow’s main concern was the treasure. ‘I don’t even know what the treasure is. Do I have a claim to it?’
Catapillow and Concort looked at Sunscorch.
‘It looks as if that’s so,’ said the Second Mate, tapping the book in front of him. ‘Doctor Scamandros had a reading of the laws for me, and it looks to be that young Arth here is entitled to ninety per cent of the value of this treasure.’
‘Ninety per cent!’ exclaimed Catapillow and Concort. Catapillow added, ‘Doctor Scamandros! How can this be so?’
Arthur hadn’t seen the Doctor, but the Denizen stepped into the light from beside the table, so he must have followed Arthur and then stood in the shadows.
‘According to The Blue Book of Admiralty , a fixed buoy treasure marker is itself considered a vessel. This young mortal here was in command of the vessel by virtue of being on it. Mister Sunscorch took him off at his request, but Arth did not relinquish command of the buoy, which marked the treasure, and which was not taken in tow. By taking the chest and not the buoy as well, the vessel is still considered to be afloat and the treasure it marked notionally still of it, though no longer marked by it. The matter is further complicated as the treasure was the property of a pirate outlawed by direct writ of Lady Wednesday. So it is considered immediately forfeit and property of the House authorities, with a reward equal to an amount of ninety per cent of the value of the treasure being paid to the finder. We are not the finder, Arth is, as demonstrated by the unfortunate fact that he is marked with the Red Hand. We are in the position of having salvaged the finder, and must come to some arrangement with him. But should Arth wish to be returned to that buoy with the chest, we must do so.’
‘I’m not sure I followed that,’ said Arthur. ‘You’re saying the treasure has to be given to Wednesday because it belongs to a pirate? And I’m entitled to a reward equal to ninety per cent of its value because I found it first?’
‘Yes,’ said Scamandros. ‘However, we do not have to help you. We can simply return you and the chest to the treasure marker. There is also the matter of the original owner of the treasure. So there is room to negotiate, I think.’
‘Sure.’ Arthur tried to smile as he spoke. It sounded crazy to him, but no crazier than some of the court reports on the news back home. Murderers who weren’t murderers because of weird technicalities. Companies that didn’t have to pay debts because of odd loopholes. ‘What do you suggest?’
‘We should first find out what’s in the chest,’ said Doctor Scamandros. ‘Do we have your permission to open it?’
‘Yes!’ exclaimed Arthur. He was surprised they hadn’t opened it already. He would have if they’d been asleep all afternoon.
‘I have taken the precaution of examining the chest with various magical instruments,’ Scamandros continued. ‘And I have neutralised a number of nasty little traps. So it should be quite safe to open. Just flip back those two catches and turn the key.’
‘There wasn’t a key there before,’ said Arthur.
‘Yes, I had to fashion one to fit,’ said Scamandros. ‘Go ahead, open it.’
‘Why do you want me to open it?’ asked Arthur. Scamandros knew who he really was, and there was still something slightly shifty about the sorcerer. He wouldn’t quite meet Arthur’s gaze. ‘What if there’s a trap you missed?’
‘I am merely following correct procedure. It is your —’ ‘Stand back, lad,’ interrupted Sunscorch, who had left the table. ‘Best to let a Denizen bear the brunt of any trickery. You mortals are too fragile.’
‘Thanks,’ muttered
‘What about the treasure?’ asked Arthur as he tried to gather his thoughts. It hadn’t even occurred to him that they might doubt his identity. But it was clear that both Concort and Catapillow’s main concern was the treasure. ‘I don’t even know what the treasure is. Do I have a claim to it?’
Catapillow and Concort looked at Sunscorch.
‘It looks as if that’s so,’ said the Second Mate, tapping the book in front of him. ‘Doctor Scamandros had a reading of the laws for me, and it looks to be that young Arth here is entitled to ninety per cent of the value of this treasure.’
‘Ninety per cent!’ exclaimed Catapillow and Concort. Catapillow added, ‘Doctor Scamandros! How can this be so?’
Arthur hadn’t seen the Doctor, but the Denizen stepped into the light from beside the table, so he must have followed Arthur and then stood in the shadows.
‘According to The Blue Book of Admiralty , a fixed buoy treasure marker is itself considered a vessel. This young mortal here was in command of the vessel by virtue of being on it. Mister Sunscorch took him off at his request, but Arth did not relinquish command of the buoy, which marked the treasure, and which was not taken in tow. By taking the chest and not the buoy as well, the vessel is still considered to be afloat and the treasure it marked notionally still of it, though no longer marked by it. The matter is further complicated as the treasure was the property of a pirate outlawed by direct writ of Lady Wednesday. So it is considered immediately forfeit and property of the House authorities, with a reward equal to an amount of ninety per cent of the value of the treasure being paid to the finder. We are not the finder, Arth is, as demonstrated by the unfortunate fact that he is marked with the Red Hand. We are in the position of having salvaged the finder, and must come to some arrangement with him. But should Arth wish to be returned to that buoy with the chest, we must do so.’
‘I’m not sure I followed that,’ said Arthur. ‘You’re saying the treasure has to be given to Wednesday because it belongs to a pirate? And I’m entitled to a reward equal to ninety per cent of its value because I found it first?’
‘Yes,’ said Scamandros. ‘However, we do not have to help you. We can simply return you and the chest to the treasure marker. There is also the matter of the original owner of the treasure. So there is room to negotiate, I think.’
‘Sure.’ Arthur tried to smile as he spoke. It sounded crazy to him, but no crazier than some of the court reports on the news back home. Murderers who weren’t murderers because of weird technicalities. Companies that didn’t have to pay debts because of odd loopholes. ‘What do you suggest?’
‘We should first find out what’s in the chest,’ said Doctor Scamandros. ‘Do we have your permission to open it?’
‘Yes!’ exclaimed Arthur. He was surprised they hadn’t opened it already. He would have if they’d been asleep all afternoon.
‘I have taken the precaution of examining the chest with various magical instruments,’ Scamandros continued. ‘And I have neutralised a number of nasty little traps. So it should be quite safe to open. Just flip back those two catches and turn the key.’
‘There wasn’t a key there before,’ said Arthur.
‘Yes, I had to fashion one to fit,’ said Scamandros. ‘Go ahead, open it.’
‘Why do you want me to open it?’ asked Arthur. Scamandros knew who he really was, and there was still something slightly shifty about the sorcerer. He wouldn’t quite meet Arthur’s gaze. ‘What if there’s a trap you missed?’
‘I am merely following correct procedure. It is your —’ ‘Stand back, lad,’ interrupted Sunscorch, who had left the table. ‘Best to let a Denizen bear the brunt of any trickery. You mortals are too fragile.’
‘Thanks,’ muttered
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